Device for deflecting the tone of a musical instrument



W. E. LAAS G THE Jan. 16, 1962 3,016,782 MUSICAL .INSTRUME Filed March 50, 1959 TONE OF A W////am E. 1003 INVENTOR.

BY WA M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,016,782 DEVICE FOR DEFLECTING THE TONE OF A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT William E. Laas, 28M Lake Shore Drive, Michigan City, Ind. Filed Mar. 30, 195d, Ser. No. 802,839 8 Claims. (Cl. 84-453) Musical instruments which are provided with bells from which the tone, or musical sound, of the instrument is discharged, are limited as to the scope of their tone projection and also are limited as to the directional coverage because the inherent construction and shape of the instrument bell causes the tone, or musical sound of the instrument, to be projected in a straight line away from the instrument. This situation is particularly true with brass instruments such as cornets, trumpets, trombones, alto horns, baritones and bass horns. This problem is accentuated when a band or musical organization performs out of doors. Generally, the brass instruments with bells are by far the most prominently heard and are generally speaking, the most important instruments in the musical organization on such occasions. However, a band or similar musical organization when playing out of doors can be heard effectively and to its fullest extent only if the listener is positioned approximately directly in front of the instruments. An illustration of this situation is when a band is seated in a stadium such as a football stadium, or in an open stadium at other athletic events. Generally, the band is barely audible with any degree of clarity except by those seated on the opposite side of the stadium from that in which the band or musical organization is seated. This is extremely disadvantageous since the musical organization is generally seated on the side of the stadium assigned to fans of the team it represents and its playing is, for the most part, lost to the spectators for whom it is primarily intended.

In other situations where musical organizations perform, the same problem is present, and unless a listener is arranged substantially directly in front of the brass instruments, their musical effect in the organization is materially lessened if not completely eliminated.

The present invention is adapted to overcome this problem and provides an arrangement whereby the tone, or musical sound of various instruments, such as brass instruments with bells, may be deflected so as to increase the radiusof effective sound projection of the musical instrument.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be quickly and easily attached to the bell of the musical instrument for increasing the scope and directional coverage of the tone from the musical instrument.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be quickly and easily attached to the bell of a brass musical instrument for increasing the radius of effective sound projection from the musical instrument while not interfering or reducing the tone quality of the instrument, or in any way altering the pitch of the tones of the instrument, and without appreciably effecting the volume of the instrument in the direction directly ahead of the instrument.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device which increases the radius of effective sound projection of a brass musical instrument Without effecting the tone qualities pitch, or volume of the instrument.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a. device which can be quickly and easily attached to a musical instrument during use, and can be removed therefrom when the instrument is not in use.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro- 3,016,782 Patented Jan. 16, 1962 vide a device which can be attached to musical instruments having various size bells for increasing the radius of effective sound projection from the musical instrument.

Still another object is to provide an attachment for the bell of a brass musical instrument which automatically adjusts itself to any variation in the size or diameter of the bell of each category of brass instruments for which the device is designed. For example, the invention contemplates providing an attachment for a comet or trumpet which will fit all makes and models of cornets and trumpets even though they might vary somewhat in sizes of their bells.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for a musical instrument which will function as a teaching aid in that it directs the tone from the musical instrument back to the player, thus enabling the player to hear his playing more nearly in its true tonal quality, or as others would hear it.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from consideration of the following description and drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing the bell of a musical instrument With a form of the device of the present invention positioned thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the bracket means and illustrating a form of the holding means mounted on the bracket means for holding the device in position on an instrument bell;

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing illustrating the bell of a musical instrument and the tone, or musical sound, emitted from the instrument without the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 3 in that it shows the bell of a musical instrument, however, FIG. 4 illustrates the present invention mounted on the bell and shows the increase in distribution of the tone, or musical sound, emitted from the bell of the instrument when the present invention is used thereon.

Attention is directed to FIG. 1 of the drawings wherein the bell of a musical instrument is illustrated at 2. It will be noted that the bell of the instrument flares outwardly as illustrated at 3. FIG. 3 of the drawings illustrates the bell 2 schematically and shows the musical sound or tones which are emitted from the bell of the musical instrument. Such tones, or musical sounds, are represented by the lines 4 which radiate forwardly of the mouth 5 of the bell as illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be noted that the sound waves 4 extend forwardly, generally in the direction in which the bell 2 of the musical instrument is directed. Thus the scope and directional coverage of the tone, or musical sound waves 4 from the mouth 5 of the bell 2 is limited and if a person is sitting -to the side of an instrument, it is extremely difficult to get the full musical efiect thereof.

The present invention provides a device for overcoming this problem, and such device is illustrated in FIG. 1 generally by the numeral 6. The device includes clamp means designated generally at 7 for holding the device 6 on the instrument bell 2, which clamp means are connected with a bracket means illustrated generally by the numeral 8 which provides a support for the battle means designated at 9 and carried by the bracket means 8.

It will be noted that, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the bracket means 8 is shaped so that it defines a throat 10 adjacent its inner end 11, such bracket means 8 extending forwardly generally longitudinally of the axis of the instrument on which the bell 2. is mounted, and the bracket means 8 flaring outwardly and longitudinally toward its outer end 12 as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The baffle means 9 as shown in FIG. 1 of tudinally and flares outwardly toward the forward .end 12 of the bracket 8 and terminates adjacent the outer end 12 as illustrated at 15. Thus, the bafile means 9 is arranged onthe bracket means so that as tone, or musical sound, is emitted from. the mouth '5 of the bell 2 it will pass through the throat 10 of the bracket between the plates 16 and 17 which formthe baflie means 9 so as to be discharged forwardly of the instrument as illustrated by the lines 18 in FIG. 4. The tone or sound waves from the right hand side of the instrument will strike against the plate 17 and be directed laterally of the device 6 as illustrated by the lines 19 in FIG. 4 of the drawings. Similarly the sound on the left hand side of the mouth of the bell 2 will strike or impinge against the plate or surface 16 and be directed to the left as represented by the lines 20 in FIG. 4. Thus, the sound or tone emitted from the mouth 5 of the instrument 2 has been deflected, or distributed over a larger'area than is the sound emitted from an instrument which does not use the device. Therefore, a person sitting to the side of the instrument can hear the musical sound, or the tone of the instrument, as clearly as a person who sits directly in front of the instrument. At the present time, with instruments such as cornets, trumpets, trombones, alto horns, baritones, bass horns and the like, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a listener to absorb the full musical effect of such instruments, particularly when they sit to the side, and not directly in front of the instruments.

In the form of the device 6 illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the bracket means 8 is illustrated as being formed of paired members 20 and 21. The members 20 and 21 are similarly shaped and may be formed of any suitable material, or wire of proper tension and flexibility so as to retain its shape when positioned on the instrument, and over an extended period of use.

It will be noted that each of the members 20 and 21 are formed by bending the wire or other material from which they are constructed so that each of their sides 22 and 23 is exactly alike. Thus the wire or member 20 is formed by bending it at right angles as illustrated at 25 a suitable distance spaced from the end 24 to provide the portion 26. The member 20 extends or flares gradually outwardly along its portion as illustrated at 27 and terminates at the point designated at 28 by reason of the reverse bend in the wire or member 20 so as to provide the portion 29 which extends across the outer end 12 of the bracket means 8. The wire 20 is bent upon itself again as illustrated at 30 and extends from the outer end 12 toward the inner end 11 to provide the portion '31 of the wire or member 20 which is identical in shape to the portion 27. The wire is thereafter bent at right angles as illustrated at 32 whereby the portion 33 is provided which extends laterally of the mouth 5 of the bell 2 in the same plane as the portion 26 of the member 20. The holding means 7 is connected to the portions 26 and 32 of the member 20.

The member 21 is formed in a similar manner and is identical in construction and arrangement to the member 20-. Similarly the bracket means 7 is connected to the portion 26 and to the portion 32 (the latter not shown) of the wire or member 21.

Preferably the bracket means 8 is formed of material which is flexible and under some circumstances the holding means 7 and the wires 20 and 21 may be integrally formed of a continuous wire so that when the holding means 7 are engaged with the edge 40 of the mouth 5 of the horn, the inherent resiliency or flexibility of the wires 20 and 21 would tend to clasp or grasp the lip 40 of the mouth 5 to retain the device 6 in position thereon.

The holding means 7 may assume any suitable form for retaining the device 6 on the bell 2 of the instrument and as illustrated in the drawings such holding means may assume the form of hooks 41 which, as previously mentioned, may be integrally formed on the outer ends of the portions 26 and 32 of each of the wires or members 20 and 21 whereby such hooks 41 may engage or grasp the edge 40 of the mouth 5 of the bell 2.

In other situations it may be desirable to provide hooks which are adjustably secured on the portions 26 and 33 of each of the members or wires 20 and 21 and in this event suitable means such as threads as illustrated at 42 may be provided on the wire 26, which threads 42 are adapted to threadedly engage with a member 43 on which are formed the hooks 41. Any other suitable form of connection of the member 43 and portions 26 and 33 may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.

As shown in the drawings the baffle means 9 comprises the plates 16 and 17 which are continuous from their inner end 14 to their outer end 15, and which baffle means are carried by and conform exactly to the shape of the bracket means 8. Also, it will be noted that in the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings the wires or members 20 and 21 are illustrated as being arranged adjacent the upper and lower ends of the plates 16 and 17 respectively; however, under some circumstances the position of the members 20 and 21 in relation to the plates 16 and 17 may vary as desired.

The present invention is also advantageous in that it serves as a training aid for students. Because the tone or musical sound of the ordinary instrument, and particularly brass instruments, is directed only forwardly from the mouth 5 of the bell 2 of the instrument, it is extremely difficult for a student to obtain a true indication of the tonal quality of his playing. The present invention overcomes this in that the sound from the musical instrument will be directed so that the student while playing the instrument can determine the musical or tone value of his playing.

It will be further noted that the frame 8 is constructed and arranged so that its shape generally defines a bell to deflect and direct the sound of the instrument laterally without affecting the tone quality of the instrument, or Without altering the pitch of the tones of the instrument. Also, such a construction does not appreciably affect the volume of the instrument in the direction directly ahead of the instrument.

By reason of the flexibility and tension of the frame work 8, and by reason of the holding means in relationship to the frame 8, the device 6 may be quickly and easily positioned on the lip 40 of the mouth 5 of the bell 2. It will retain such position during use of the instrument, and can be thereafter quickly and easily re moved without any damage to the instrument, or to the device 6.

Various sizes of the device 6 may be provided for use with instruments having different size bells such as corners, trumpets, trombones, alto horns, baritones, bass horns, and the like. Furthermore,-the construction of the framework of the invention as disclosed, is such that the attachment automatically adjusts itself for variance in the size of diameter of the bell of various categories of brass instruments. For example, the comet or trumpet size of the device 6 fits all makes and-models of cornets and trumpets, even though they might vary somewhat in size of their bells.

Also, the exact configuration of the frame 8 may vary as desired; however, theframework as generally disclosed herein has been found to be quite satisfactory in that it materially increases the distribution of the sound and materially increases both the scope and directional coverage of the tone or musical sound of an instrument without varying the quality of the music pr'oduced thereby.

Another advantage of the arrangement of the bracket means as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, is that it firmly grasps the lip 40 of the mouth of the bell 2, and

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J 16 and 17 is substantially one-half to two-thirds the diameter of the mouth of the hell 2. While this may vary under some circumstances, this particular arrangement has been found to be particularly effective in evenly distributing the tone or musical sound emitted from the bell 2 of brass instruments.

Broadly the invention relates to a device for increasing the scope and directional coverage of musical sound or tone emitted from a musical instrument without impairing the quality of the music.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for partially deflecting the tone of a brass musical instrument as the sound is projected from the bell of the instrument comprising, clamp means adapted to engage with the bell of the instrument, bracket means connected with said clamp means, said bracket means extending forwardly of the bell of the instrument, bafiie means carried by said bracket means and supported adjacent said bell to deflect a portion of the sound from the bell laterally to each side thereof, and said baffle means comprising a pair of spaced apart continuous surfaces which extend from the inner end of said bracket means and are flared outwardly toward the outer end of said bracket means so 'as to direct tone laterally and forwardly from the bell of the instrument.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said clamp means is adjustable on said bracket means whereby the device is adjustable to fit various size bells.

3. A device for increasing the effective area of distribution of tone from the bell of a musical instrument comprising, bracket means, means for holding said bracket means on the bell of an instrument, said bracket means defining at its inner end adjacent the bell of the instrument a throat, said bracket means flaring outwardly and toward its outer end to define the general outline of a bell, baflle means supported on said bracket means whereby tone from the instrument bell may be distributed laterally of the instrument bell, and said *baflle means comprising a pair of spaced apart continuous surfaces which extend from said inner end of said bracket means and are flared outwardly toward said outer end of said bracket means so as to direct tone laterally and forwardly from the bell of the instrument.

4. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein said bafiie means is substantially one-half to two-thirds the size of the instrument bell diameter at its outer end.

5. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein said holding means comprises hooks integrally formed on each side of and adjacent the upper and lower edges of said bafiie means and "adapted to engage with the edge of the instrument bell to retain the device in position there- 6. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein said holding means comprises hook means, and additional means for 'adjustably positioning said hook means lateral- 1y relative to said bracket means whereby said hook means may be adjusted to engage instrument bells of various sizes to hold the device in position thereon.

7. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein said bracket means is defined by a continuous member adjacent the upper end, and a continuous member adjacent the lower end of said bafiie means which members are each shaped to define a throat at their inner end and are gradually flared outwardly from said inner end in the general outline of a hell.

8. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein each of said continuous surfaces in heighth is substantially onehalf to two-thirds the diameter of the instrument bell and each of which extends from said inner end of said bracket means and is flared outwardly to conform generally to the said bracket means whereby tone from the instrument bell is projected forwardly between said surfaces as well as laterally of the instrument bell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 867,836 Revell Oct. 8, 1907 1,184,938 Fischer May 30, 1916 1,508,024 McArthur Sept. 9, 1924 1,865,735 Wolii July 5, 1932 2,065,367 Evans a- Dec. 22, 1936 2,571,809 Altosino Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 404,937 Great Britain Jan. 15, 1934 

